PIH project, card signing, lectures ~ things that kept bothering me for this few days. Alhamdulillah, for now at least, card signing was over though the result that I got was not really good. It's still rezeki from Allah and a good reminder for myself~work harder! Since coming back from my lovely country Malaysia, I feel lonely. Maybe it's due to sudden change in the society around me. I'm not really sure. I just feel so lonely, longing for some attention and care from others. I kept on trying but I fagged out. Tired and sick! Alhamdulillah, I always have Allah with me, Who never disappoint me even once, Who always comfort me with His ayat. Thank you Allah for this delighful Islam and iman, the greatest nikmat.

Trying to stick to my resolution last year (which already been broken for so many times), I read a book entitle 'To Be A Muslim' by Fathi Yakan. Easy language yet so reflective. Hopefully I can keep the pace~ reading one book every fortnight. As the saying goes, 'sharing is caring', I'd like to share this input which I copied from the last few pages of the book. Undoubtly it's quite long [might take 10mins of ur priceless time) but insyaAllah, hope this can be counted as ibadah and noted by malaikat sitting next to you. Trust me, it's a reminder worthy of attention.

My honest brother [and sisters], your pledge (Bai'ah) requires u to carry out the following duties. Once u have done so, u'll be strong and hard as a rock.

1. Recite the Quran, at least a juz' (1/30 of the Quran daily). You should finish a reading of the whole Quran in no more than a month and no less than 3 days.

2. Improve ur Quranic recitation by listening to good reciters and taking lesson in recitation. Set aside some time to study the life-history of the Prophet (sirah) and the history of Muslims. U should read a lot of books, however a Humatul Islam is satisfactory in this regard. Also, u should read a lot of hadiths and memorize at least forty, if possible, from the collection of Imam Al Nawawi. Last but not least, u should study the basies of Islam in Faith (aqidah), Islamic Law (Fiqh) and its branches.

3. Have a medical check up regularly and have a doctor check any ailment. U should take care of your strength and refrain from anything that will harm ur body.

4. Avoid excessive use of coffee, tea and other drinks, and abstain from smoking.

5. Practice cleanliness in every aspect of ur life e.g. house, clothing, food, body, and workplace. As a matter of fact, Islam has been built on cleanliness.

6. Speak the truth and never lie even once.

7. Fulfill ur promises and commiments and do not resort to lame excuses.

8. Be brave and wise. Bravery requires one to talk frankly about what is true and right, to keep secrets, to admit one's faults, to be aware of oneself, and to keep oneself from getting angry.

9. Be serious but ur seriousness should not stop u from enjoying jokes and laughing.

10. Be modest, careful and sensitive to good and bad things by expressing ur happiness and experiencing good and gratitude when encountering bad. U should ask for a less prominent position, although u deserve or have a higher one.

11. Be fair in judging according to sound evidence. Ur anger should not make u ignore the good in others and ur blessings should not make u forget the bad of others. U should speak the truth even to yourself and to ur closest friends, even though it may be painful to do so.

12. Be active in community service. U should be happy when u have a choice to help others, b visiting a sick person, helping the needy, and offering charity.

13. Exhibit sympathy, generousity and forgiveness. U should be tolerant, flexible and gentle. U should be kind to human beings and animals, have good relations with the communities, preserve the courtesies of Islam, be gentle when talking to young people, respect elders, give up a seat to those who need it more, respect others' privacy, and neither condemn or insult others.

14. Improve your reading and writing skills; increase ur knowledge of Islamic Movement. By reading about it. Read newspapers and magazines. U should have a personal library even if it is a small one. You must increase ur knowledge both generally and in ur specialty if u have one. U must be able to understand the problems concerning the Muslims in sufficient depth to develop your own solutions in accordance with our ideology.

15. Work to earn money no matter how rich u are. Engage in business even though their pay is small and als o give your full attention in this kind of work no matter how high ur qualification are.

16. Do not make ur primary interest to work in the government, but do not reject an offer of working in the government, even though the pay is poor, and do not quit unless the work is against Islam.

17. If u are given a job, work wholeheartedly, and honestly.

18. Demand and respect the rights of ur brothers and urself.

19. Avoid gambling and unlawful source of income.

20. Do not take interest (Riba') in any dealings and u must avoid the circumstances that may lead u to it.

22. Support da'wah by contributing some of ur wealth to the Islamic Movement. U must pay the minimally, established amount of zakah of ur assets because this is the right of those who should receive it.

23. Keep a small amount of ur income for emergency use. Never overspend on luxury goods.

24. Strive as far as u can to keep alive the beneficial practices of true Islamic culture and eliminate secular culture in ur daily conduct. Some of these practices are to greet everyone with salam, speak the Arabic Language, read the sirah, wear modest clothing, maintain regular hours of work, and follow the etiquettes of visiting, in accordance with the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH.

25. Avoid all newspapers, magazines, clubs, gatherings, and schools that oppose the principles of Islam, unless ur reading and activities in such prohibited institutions are designed only to promote the good and oppose the bad.

26. Always remember Allah, the Almighty and the Day of Judgement. U should look for every means to seek the Blessing of Allah, the Almighty with high spirit and self esteem. U should always seek to be closer to Allah through voluntary Prayers such as Qiamullail and fasting at leats 3 days a month. U should use the supplications of the Prophet PBUH.

28. When u perform the daily Prayers, do so on time, and always fulfill the rules. Pray in congregation and at the mosques as much as possible.

29. Observe the Fast of Ramadhan and go on Hajj as soon as u have the means.

30. Regularly make the intention to go jihad with the ambition to die as a martyr. U should be ready for this right now, even though its time may not have come yet.

31. Regularly renew your repentance, ask for Allah's forgiveness and avoid every kind of sin. U should set aside a special time to evaluate urself before going to bed every night. Always keep track of ur time because time means life. Do not misuse ur time. Always fear Allah, guarding urself against evil, and keeping away from dubious things as not to fall into doing unlawful (haram) things.

32. Avoid lustful thoughts, emotions and occasion of sin, for example by restraining ur gaze from haram things, urging ur emotion to focus on good deeds and keeping ur heart and desires away from all that is forbidden.

33. Do not eat or socialize where alcohol is used and consumed.

34. Do not take immoral people as friends and avoid places that may lead to sin, such as bars.

35. Avoid all evil forms and places of entertainment, and in general, avoid the environment of arrogant and extravagant luxury.

36. Get to know every member of ur Movement by introducing urself to those u don't know. Fulfill the rights of brotherhood as much as u can by showing love and appreciation, by mutual help ang giving preference to others and by attending the Movement's gatherings wherever possible.

37. Dissociate urself from every gathering or organization that opposes ur ideologically standpoint, especially when Movement asks u to do so.

38. Spread the message of Islam everywhere u go. Keep the leadership informed about all u see that is relevant to the mission, and avoid any actions that might hurt or weaken ur leaders and the Movement. Always maintain good relations with ur direct superior in the leadership. Regard urself as a soldier in battle ready to go on duty at any time.

39. Make frequent use of the supplication known as the Wird Al-Rabitah (supplication of commitment). First, read the following verse carefully:

Say: O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule), You give power to whom You please, and You strip off power from whom You please. You endow with honor whom You please, and You bring low whom You please. In Your hand is all good. Verily, over all things You have power. You cause the night to gain on the day, and You cause the day to gain on the night. You bring the living out of dead, and You bring the dead out of the living, and You give sustenance to whom You please, without measure. [Qur’an 3:26-27]

Then say the following supplication:

O Allah, this is the arrival of Your night and the departure of Your day. Please forgive me.

After that bring to mind the face of your closest brother and try to feel a spiritual relationship between you and him and with others whom you do not know, and make the following supplication:

O Allah, indeed you know that these souls have agreed to love you, to obey you, to cooperate in spreading Your message, and have promised to support and apply your law (shari’ah). O Allah, strengthen our relationship, make our love last, and show us the right way. Fulfill these souls with Your light that never diminishes, expand our souls with the blessings of faith in You, for in You we believe. Enlighten these souls with Your understanding and let us die as martyrs by fighting in Your cause, for indeed You are the best Protector and Helper. O Allah, fulfill these requests, bestow Your blessings and peace on Prophet Muhammad (s), and his family, and his companions. [Imam Hasan AI-Banna Risalat Ta’alim]

Subhanallah, it's a great gap between me and this guy named Hasan Al-Banna. I couldn't help myself but feeling soo tiny. Be realistic, not comparable at all huh. Nevetheless, I won't let myself be the one of the countless foam in the sea. There's a huge space for self improvement. May Allah ease our way. InsyaAllah.